The Best Albums Of 2024

In a lot of ways, 2024 became the year that music changed everything.

From genre-bending masterstrokes to unexpected cultural disruptors to an explosive rap war that kept everyone on their toes, this year in music was a whirlwind for listeners everywhere to follow. It also restored the excitement many have been anxiously missing from their favorite artists.

Kendrick Lamar came out of hiding and flipped the rap game upside down when he turned a ruthless diss track (“Not Like Us”) into a No. 1 bop — not to mention, dropping a chart-topping surprise album at the tail-end of the year. Charli XCX, meanwhile, had everyone in a “Brat” chokehold this summer with her out-of-the-blue cultural phenomenon. Beyoncé, of course, remained on top with a sprawling countrified offering that reminded the nation that she — and Black people — are the rightful heirs of country music. And who could forget the way Sabrina Carpenter launched to the top of the pop charts and mega-superstardom with not one, but two summer smash hits.

There were plenty of other remarkable music moments to revel in 2024 — from the reigning power of Southern women in rap (GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, Doechii) and tentpole releases of pop’s finest (Billie Eilish) to the mainstream rise of Amapiano fueled by a South African superstar in the making (Tyla).

2024 was full of deliciously crafted albums listeners happily consumed again, again and again. There were tons of possibilities that could’ve made HuffPost’s best of 2024 list — honorable mentions include (yes) Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” Usher’s “Coming Home,” LL COOL J’s “The Force,” Normani’s “Dopamine,” Cash Cobain’s “Play Cash Cobain,” Future and Metro Boomin’s “We Don’t Trust You,” all defining projects. But below are 24 albums across genres — pop, hip-hop, R&B, country, jazz-fusion — that we simply couldn’t get off our minds this year. Happy listening.

Beyoncé, “Cowboy Carter”

Beyoncé continued her trilogy of albums with the Grammy-nominated “Cowboy Carter” in April. The 27-track album features legends like Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, and introduced much of the world to a legend in her own right, country music icon Linda Martell. It’s a multigenerational affair, too, with features from country newcomers Shaboozey, Willie Jones, Tanner Adell and more.

The album has a little bit for everyone, whether you’re a country music fan or not: There are the chart toppers, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” “16 Carriages;” the earworms, “II Most Wanted,” “II Hands II Heaven;” and the tunes that make you wanna dance, “Sweet Honey Buckin’” and “Riiverdance.” But perhaps best of all, the album stays true to the brand of Beyoncé. She’s doing what she wants and how she wants, genres and boundaries be damned. — Erin

Big Sean, “Better Me Than You”

Big Sean’s “Better Me Than You” is growth personified. During a year that saw two of rap’s biggest titans resort to low blows and unsubstantiated allegations, the Detroit rapper’s latest studio album showed that he’s embracing more mature subjects, like fatherhood (“On Up”), accountability (“Apologize”) and breaking generational curses (“Break the Cycle”).

There are the occasional outliers — “Get You Back,” featuring Cash Cobain, and “Who You Are (Superstar)” that resort to old sex raps — but the 21-track album proves Sean is his most clear-minded to date. It is no small feat to try and make dad raps cool in a hip-hop landscape that has a lot more growing to do, but Sean’s “Better Me Than You” rises to the occasion with enjoyable rhymes about personal evolution, which I’ll continue to enjoy happily. — Njera

Billie Eilish, “Hit Me Hard And Soft”

Billie Eilish’s “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” features one of the biggest hits of the year, “Birds of a Feather,” but that’s not where the beauty of the album ends. Its opener (“Skinny”) is beautifully produced, of course, by Eilish’s songwriter-producer brother Finneas. “Lunch” is a peppy bop about her sexual prowess and desire; “Wildflower” is a must-listen. But it’s the penultimate song on the album, “Bittersuite,” that stayed on repeat for me this year: The synth on that opener immediately draws you in, and Eilish seems to float over the song with lyrics about dreams and desire.

The album lives up to its title, with a gut punch here and loving caress there, and is the kind of album that’s both comforting and makes you reflect. It’s subtly powerful in all the right ways. — Erin

Charli XCX, “Brat”

It’s the album that defined the year in a myriad of ways, including an aesthetic (brat girl summer), an uber-viral TikTok dance, a particular neon shade of green, and even a presidential campaign. Essex-born Charli XCX has been hard at work for over a decade, but with her sixth studio album “Brat,” she has shaped culture, become a global sensation, and garnered her first ever Album of the Year Grammy nomination.

The electro-pop album is feisty and in-your-face, with bangers like opener “360,” the ultimate it girl anthem, and the lead single “Von dutch,” a reclamation on being an object of jealousy. But don’t let the pounding bass and artful autotune mislead you into thinking the album is just 40 minutes of flexing her cool girl status; Charli XCX is at her most vulnerable, creating a captivating dissonance in pouring her heart out lyrically over the sound of club music. “Apple” explores generational trauma, “Sympathy is a knife” rebukes the feigned sympathy others offer her, and “Girl, so confusing” laments the complexities of female friendship. The album is Charli at her best: bold, cool, and most importantly, deliciously bratty. — Alexandra

Christina Aguilera, “The 25th Anniversary of Christina Aguilera”

OK, sure, this 25th anniversary compilation isn’t actually a full album nor is it new music. But I returned to this live set of Christina Aguilera singing her early hits more than a handful of times since its release in September. This year, Spotify celebrated 25 years of the “Genie in a Bottle” singer with a six-track album including live renditions of “Come on Over,” “Reflection” and a perfect duet of “What A Girl Wants” with Sabrina Carpenter. Talk about the best sing-along compilation of the year? This is it. — Erin

Doechii, “Alligator Bites Never Heal”

Man, no one is doing it quite like Doechii right now. Last year, I saw her open for Beyoncé at one of the Los Angeles shows for the Renaissance tour, and her stage presence and lyrical prowess immediately made me question why I hadn’t been keeping up with her career. “Alligator Bites Never Heal” is the third mixtape from the Top Dawg Entertainment artist, and it’s a masterpiece from start to finish. (If you need to catch up quickly on her talent, run to this video of her performance on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” or this NPR Tiny Desk concert.)

“Denial Is A River” is a fun romp about her personal life where an ex cheated on her; “Nissan Altima” will have you wondering where in the hell did she get this kind of breath control; on “Catfish,” she is as playful as she is forceful with her lyrics and articulation. If I had a car, it’s the kind of album that I’d blast with the top down on a bright summer day. For now, I’ll just keep on enjoying it any time I want to bask in Doechii’s excellence. — Erin

Durand Bernarr, “En Route”

Durand Bernarr, who received a Grammy nomination for “En Route,” is unlike any other. He defies genres, infuses comedy into his lyrics and refuses to confine himself into a box. (That’s why we included him on this year’s Culture Shifters list in October.) “En Route” is an eight-track EP that reminds longtime fans of Bernarr’s undeniable talent: He croons to a love on “Unknown,” gets cheeky on “Fist Bump,” and “Neutral” lets a potential suitor know to either make a move or get gone. It’s a joy to turn on “En Route” — I’ve repeatedly returned to it when I was getting ready to go somewhere, naturally. If you’re just hearing about Durand Bernarr for the first time here, we promise it will not be the last. — Erin

GloRilla, “Glorious”

GloRilla has been all gas, no break since she burst onto the rap scene with her 2022 breakout hits “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” and “Tomorrow 2,” featuring Cardi B.

Some critics doubted the Memphis native’s hit-making abilities and thought her career would’ve fizzled out by now. However, after numerous Hot 100 singles, A-list collaborations, a nearly sold-out tour with Megan Thee Stallion, and most importantly, the highly anticipated release of her debut studio album, “Glorious,” it’s clear GloRilla plans to stick around for a very long time.

The 15-track LP, which arrived in October, boasts fun features from T-Pain, Latto, Sexyy Red, Muni Long and Kirk Franklin, with the latter being an unexpected but welcome surprise to play off Glorilla’s (born Gloria Hallelujah Woods) Christian background weaved throughout the album. Compared to her previous EPs and mixtapes, GloRilla’s “Glorious” is much more daring in expanding her Southern style and subject matter, as evidenced by uplifting songs like “Don’t Deserve,” “Stop Playing” and Franklin’s “Rain Down on Me,” which also features gospel acts like Kierra Sheard, Chandler Moore and Maverick City Music.

However, her signature crunk sound shines through plenty, too, with tracks such as “Hollon,” “Let Her Cook,” “How I Look,” and the nostalgic “Whatchu Know Bout Me,” fueled by a thumping sample of Lil Boosie’s “Wipe Me Down.” “Glorious” sounds like an extension of the GloRilla we’ve gotten to know over the last few years, taking some big swings while also staying true to the charm that made the rapper a bonafide star in the first place. The album is GloRilla’s best body of work yet, and makes a good case for why women in rap have been running it up all 2024. — Njera

Gracie Abrams, “The Secret of Us”

Gracie Abrams was an artist who caught me by surprise this year. I had enjoyed a few songs of hers from previous albums and caught clips of her opening Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, but I didn’t officially become a Graciehead (Gracelander?) until “The Secret of Us” came out. Throughout the 13 tracks, Abrams mines heartbreak and young love with a self-aware eye — “God, I’m actually invested/ Haven’t even met him/ Watch this be the wrong thing, classic,” she sings on the energetic single “Risk.”

Abrams, 25, is a deft chronicler of the emotional turmoil of that decade, being unsure of the person you’ll become and who will end up mattering in the end. I’ve made it through that era of my life, but it’s not such a bad place to revisit — especially with Abrams’ whispery vocals and earwormy bridges as company. — Jillian

Kacey Musgraves, “Deeper Well”

I have adored singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves through all iterations of her music — from her country music roots to her more pop-forward songs of recent years, I have loved it all. Her venture into folk with this year’s album “Deeper Well” is no exception.

“Deeper Well” is Musgraves at her purest, which makes sense since it takes inspiration from her Saturn return (an astrological concept that says when the planet returns to the place it was when someone was born, it will inspire self-reflection and growth). Simplicity is the invisible string through this album, in the sense that she is appreciating the little things in this new era of her life (e.g., the song “Dinner With Friends”).

Abstract spirituality is sprinkled throughout songs like “Cardinal,” “The Architect,” and “Heart of the Woods,” in a way that’s only comforting and never too in-your-face. My favorite is “Sway,” a soothing song about learning to not be phased by life’s twists and turns. I imagine this album would be best enjoyed with a crackling bonfire, or as background music at a rustic cabin; it’s peaceful and restorative, and shows yet again that Musgraves possesses musical prowess in any genre of her choosing. — Alexandra

Kendrick Lamar, “GNX” 

Let me just say I love this era of Kendrick Lamar. The rapper is unstoppable. After weeks worth of back-and-forth with rapper Drake over the summer, the Compton rapper surprised us with “GNX,” a 12-track album that clocks in at my ideal run time for a music compilation: under 45 minutes.

In “squabble up,” “tv off” and “hey now,” he provides hits that make you want to get out of your seat; on “reincarnation,” he looks within to analyze his own personal growth; and on “wacced out murals,” he name-checks a few rappers and other entertainers for some disappointing moments he’s clocked over this last year in rap. Along the way, Kendrick loops in several California rappers to give us that signature West Coast sound: Dody6, Lefty Gunplay and AzChike, among others. The album has even spawned a viral meme, with DJ Mustard yelling his own name on “tv off.”

“GNX” is nearly a no-skip album and one that I’ll indeed keep playing into the new year. — Erin

Latto, “Sugar Honey Iced Tea”

Latto has had one hell of a run over the past year, and her third studio album shows she’s not slowing down anytime soon. The Atlanta-raised rapper aka “Big Mama,” takes us on a first class trip to her home state with possibly her best project to date.

Though it’s 21 tracks long, Latto brings the energy needed to keep listeners engaged throughout. Songs like “Blick Sum,” “There She Go” and “Brokey” deserve to be blasted with bass boosted in a donk driving down Peachtree. She shows off a sultry, melodic side on “Copper Cove,” “Liquor” and “Look What You Did.” And her Atlanta roots are all-up-and-through the album with samples from Outkast and D4L. She taps Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Coco Jones, Young Nudy and, of course, ATL hip-hop royalty Ciara. “Sugar Honey Iced Tea” is further proof that not only does the South have something to say, but the ladies do, too. — Taryn

Leon Thomas, “Mutt”

Leon Thomas’ “Mutt” only had a monthlong rollout before the album arrived in September, but since then, it has demonstrated amazing staying power in the R&B world as what many (including myself) are declaring one of the genre’s best projects of the year. The former Nickelodeon star-turned-singer’s sophomore offering is partly inspired by his dog and the similarities he noticed in their behavior. Ultimately, though, the captivating album serves as a metaphor for the human desire for control in relationships, a complex concept Thomas explores over 14 unfiltered tracks that ooze experimental notes of jazz, rock & roll, funk, hip-hop and R&B.

With a bevy of his own experiences to reference, “Mutt” sees Thomas offer up a memorandum of today’s dating landscape and how he chooses to navigate it. Whether it’s ditching the dead-end of situationships (“Far-Fetched”), risking more heartbreak (“Mutt”) or trying to escape the ghost of an ex (“Lucid Dreams), the album spares no single perspective. All-star features from Wale, Ty Dolla $ign, Masego, Freddie Gibbs and Baby Rose only bolster the Grammy-winning singer’s carefully crafted LP, one that’s sure to set him up for a long, successful career. — Njera

Lucky Daye, “Algorithm”

Lucky Daye’s albums never disappoint, so it’s no surprise that he cooked up another earworm with his latest offering, “Algorithm.” Reuniting with his staple collaborator, producer D’Mile (Victoria Monét, Silk Sonic), the New Orleans R&B crooner delved back into his retro soul sound, this time, with psychedelic grooves and a penchant for instrumental freedom.

The album — which is up for best R&B album at the 2025 Grammy Awards — feels as liberating as Daye intended it to be, a sonic representation of how he’s celebrating life and love while still navigating the ebbs and flows of existing. Bouncy tracks like “Never Leavin’ U Lonely” and “Soft” make it hard to sit still, while others like “Think Different,” “Blame,” and “Paralyzed” featuring Raye, slow things down to leave room for soul-searching about love and relationships ― Daye’s specialty. “Algorithm” is the singer’s most daring effort yet, one that digs deeper into his musicianship without straying too far from his core. — Njera

Megan Thee Stallion, “Megan: Act II”

Megan Thee Stallion reclaimed her Hot Girl summer season in June with the release of “Megan,” a strong comeback following a tough few years of grief, extreme criticism, and reeling from being shot by former friend Tory Lanez. Her third studio album, although overcrowded, is everything I’ve come to love and expect from the head hot girl — witty shit-talking rhymes, head-banging tracks, smart collaborations (GloRilla, Victoria Monét, UGK, to name a few) and delicious Southern production that she thrives best on. However, the deluxe version, “Megan: Act II” is a much more precise and enjoyable listen, and a better ode to Megan’s Houston roots.

The lead single, “Bigger In Texas,” remains on repeat for me thanks to its oh-so-Southern tribute music video — which features some Texas greats (Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Scarface and Sauce Walka) — but the rest of “Act II” is equally satisfying, too. The blockbuster album proves that Megan’s still at the top of her game, exactly where she belongs. — Njera

NxWorries, “Why Lawd?”

Eight years after their 2016 debut “Yes Lawd!,” super duo NxWorries — comprised of Anderson .Paak and producer Knxwledge — returned with a new sentiment for listeners to ponder on their long-awaited follow-up, “Why Lawd?”

The album boasts features from H.E.R., Snoop Dogg, Charlie Wilson, Thundercat, October London, Earl Sweatshirt and Rae Khalil, with a surprise spoken word intro provided by Dave Chappelle. The LP picked up a Grammy nod for best progressive R&B album, and rightfully so, considering Knxwledge and .Paak didn’t miss a beat on their musical reunion. .Paak’s blunt post-divorce reflections pair well with Knxwledge’s laidback lo-fi production, creating the perfect moody atmosphere over the project’s 44-minute runtime.

Tracks like “MoveOn,” “Where I Go,” “Daydreaming” and “Battlefield” chronicle .Paak’s existential queries of heartache, love and loss, but with his silky rap-sing flow, the breakup songs sound more like head-nodding bops. There’s a ton of replay value in the album, which is probably why it’s stayed on repeat for me since its summertime release. — Njera

Sabrina Carpenter, “Short n’ Sweet”

When pop princess Sabrina Carpenter released her album “Short n’ Sweet” in mid-August, I was immediately entranced; no exaggeration, I listened to it on loop for eight hours straight on the day it came out. I certainly was not alone in getting an earworm for Carpenter’s songs, after all, the album’s lead single “Espresso” was named by “Billboard” as the No. 1 Global Song of the Summer.

Her music is addictive for good reason: It’s cheeky, honest, and frankly, really horny. As is her right! True to its title, the 12-track album clocks in at 36 minutes. But Carpenter is a sharp songwriter, and in that short amount of time, she sets boundaries (“Good Graces”), mourns a relationship (“Don’t Smile”), lauds the importance of sexual chemistry (“Bed Chem”), and even puts a country twist on a song mocking an ex for wasting her time (“Coincidence”). Her lyricism is one-of-a-kind — just look at the song “Juno” which boasts in its chorus, “If you love me right, then who knows? I might let you make me Juno.” (A lyric that truly made me stop in my tracks the first time I heard it.) Thanks to the searing “Short n’ Sweet,” the ups and downs of dating have never been more fun. — Alexandra

ScHoolboy Q, “Blue Lips”

With “Blue Lips,” ScHoolboy Q returned to rap this year with his most acclaimed and enlightening body of work yet. It’s such a colorful portrait of the South Central rapper’s life that pulls listeners in so many different directions ― sound and subject-wise — from jazzy, introspective cuts like “Blueslides” to thumping, in-your-face bangers like “Pop” and “Pig Feet.”

There’s a constant balance between composure and angst across the eclectic 18-track album that feels like a rollercoaster ride every time I listen. It’s perhaps why “Blue Lips” is my personal favorite rap album of the year — there’s nothing one-note about it. There are noteworthy features from Rico Nasty, Freddie Gibbs, Jozzy and fellow Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate Ab-Soul, but none overpower the zeal Q demonstrates on each vibrant track. For his first album in almost five years, the rapper sounds as sharp as ever. — Njera

SiR, “Heavy”

SiR’s latest album, “Heavy,” could easily function as the soundtrack to his own biopic. The Inglewood-born R&B singer spares no admission on the 16-track album, a compelling recollection of the past three years of his life where he’s gone through hell and back to be a better man, father and husband. The album opener is a cry for help that sets the tone for the emotional journey SiR takes as he ruminates about personal struggles (addiction and sobriety), the pitfalls of his celebrity and his road to healing.

However, “Heavy” — the title track and the album itself — acts as a diary for a man-in-progress. This reigns true on follow-ups like “Six Whole Days,” “I’m Not Perfect,” “Only Human” and “Tryin’ My Hardest,” all lucid confessions about SiR’s missteps and sorrows. Bright spots like “Life Is Good” and “Brighter” show that the singer’s personal progress hasn’t been completely shrouded in darkness, especially with hopeful lines on the latter: “It’s the hardest, where the start is/ But I know we’re going to make it through.”

On “Heavy,” SiR unloads his burdens, many of which came to a head during the pandemic, forcing him to get honest about his demons and growth. In this day and age where artists much rather boast about their superficial wins, it’s nice to see someone unafraid to lay their truth out for all to hear. — Njera

Teezo Touchdown, “How Do You Sleep At Night? With You”

Teezo Touchdown may be the go-to feature artist on some of the biggest projects of the year, but his debut studio album stands on its own. The artist known for rocking nails in his hair bends and beckons several genres to his will in “How Do You Sleep At Night? With You.”

He offers an A-side, B-side element by offering two very different vibes on several songs of the 47-minute long project. For example, the first one minute and four seconds of “You Thought” infuses a hip-hop and rock attitude until Teezo croons over a vibey guitar-led beat along with Janelle Monáe. “Mood Swings,” “Too Easy,” “Up and Down” and “Third Coast” are arguably the top album’s top standouts. With his source material being made up of the work of Rick James, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Thin Lizzy, Marvin Gaye and more, it’s hard to not resonate with something in Teezo’s eclectic output. This album is for the lovers, the dreamers, the angsty, the experimental and everyone in between. — Taryn

Tierra Whack, “World Wide Whack”

It’s Tierra Whack’s world, and we’re just living it. The Philly native has spent over half a decade building a technicolor universe around her music, but on “World Wide Whack” — the follow-up to her 2018 debut project “Whack World” — things get darker and much more vulnerable beneath the surface. Songs like “Numb,” “Imaginary Friends” and “Difficult” are particularly vivid peeks into what occupies Whack’s mind, from depression and anxiety to matters of life and death, a stark contrast to her signature buoyant raps.

There are still small glimmers of those playful rhymes on “Shower Song” and “Invitation,” simple yet fun tracks, but Whack spends the better part of “World Wide Whack” — her official debut album — telling us who she really is, or perhaps, has been all along. In a year where women in rap dominated with club-ready anthems, Whack carved out a space for quiet moments and reflection, something we could all use these days. It’s exciting to know that this is still just the start of Whack’s trajectory. If this album is her boldest artistic statement yet, there’s no telling how she’ll raise the bar next. — Njera

Tyla, “Tyla”

So much can be said about Tyla’s breakthrough year. The Johannesburg singer made huge waves with her ultra-viral smash hit “Water,” which appropriately earned her a Grammy award for best African music performance at the top of the year. There was no time for one-hit wonder claims to even fester because shortly after Tyla emerged with her eponymous debut album, quickly laying claim to her superstar status.

Set against the burgeoning Amapiano sound bubbling out of South Africa, “Tyla” gives the singer’s regional roots global appeal with pulsing tracks like “Safer,” “Truth or Dare,” “Breathe Me” and “ART,” but those are just a few of many inescapable album cuts. The seductive “Jump,” featuring Gunna and Skillibeng, makes you want to grind it out on the dance floor. “No.1” taps Tems for a catchy independent-woman anthem about “no compromising,” which almost makes “Priorities” sound like its sister track. And “Butterflies,” one of the album’s few slower selections, is a delightful stripped-down love song that balances the album’s pace.

Even when tapping into pop and R&B styles, “Tyla” never abandons the singer’s origins, making the LP the perfect introduction to the rising Amapiano princess. Just when we thought that album was enough to satisfy our appetites, Tyla reloaded her star-making debut in October with more infectious records — including her latest single, “Push 2 Start.” Tyla’s self-titled album is proof that she knows who she is as an artist and what heights she’s trying to reach. That alone is the true makings of a pop star. — Njera

Tyler, The Creator, “Chromakopia”

Tyler, The Creator implores us to take our masks off. He certainly does on “Chromakopia.” Yet again, the 33-year-old rapper pushes his artistry to a new level, but what makes this album especially admirable is the honesty he approaches it with. “Chromakopia” is Tyler’s “Confessions.”

Though “Noid” was the lead single, the paranoia he discusses on it is probably the least revelatory topic on the album. He raps about his own self-doubts, a pregnancy scare that nearly changed his life, daddy issues that make him fearful of fatherhood, the shocking death of a lover, and his evolving sexuality. This album is one that takes several spins to fully digest. And even after you process it, there are new perspectives to gain.

“Darling, I,” “Sticky” and “Rah Tah Tah” have found quick favor on social media. But don’t sleep on treasures in songs like “I Killed You,” a track about how Black hair is universally policed by antiblackness. Tyler wraps the album with “I Hope You Find Your Way Home,” a track full of angelic chants that serve as both radical self-acceptance and a forward-looking guide of what’s next after you “Take Your Mask Off.” This album is a reminder of how valid and beautiful our unique weirdness is. In an era where AI attempts to overshadow human creativity, that’s important. — Taryn

Willow, “Empathogen”

Willow has built up quite an expansive discography over the years. Sometime after breaking away from her 2010s “Whip My Hair” mold, the former child star emerged with genre-blending projects like “Willow” and “lately I feel EVERYTHING,” and soul-baring offerings such as “Coping Mechanism.”

Her latest, “Empathogen,” is a more fine-tuned album that finds the 24-year-old singer taking bigger musical swings as she looks within. The 12-track jazz-funk-pop fusion — which is up for best engineered album, non-classical at the 2025 Grammys — scores Willow’s journey toward self-acceptance, astutely highlighted in the lead single “Symptom of Life,” where she sings about the duality of pain and joy and life and loss. Similar revelations are made on “The Fear Is Not Real,” “Pain For Fun” and “Between I and She,” where she continues to juxtapose light and dark themes.

One of the album’s standouts is “b i g f e e l i n g s,” the closing track on which Willow comes to grips with her spilling emotions and culminates her internal exploration. “Empathogen,” by Willow’s definition, is her “first grown-up album,” and it stands as such when you hear the self-awareness across the LP. Overall, it’s an album for those who have ever felt misunderstood, by themselves and others — consider spinning it the next time you need to sort through your own big feelings. — Njera